Fun in the Sun: Top 5 Summer Safety Risks for Kids

May 17, 2016

by
Michael Barber

Every year when summer arrives children sprint to trampolines, swimming
pools, and nearby jungle gyms for reprieve from long school years. Sadly, many
summer activities are leading causes of accidents, injuries and trips to the
urgent care. However, parents who are knowledgeable about the dangers of summer
are likely to keep their kids safe. Here are the leading dangers each
summer that parents know about:

5. Swimming Pools

While every good parent knows that a swimming pool poses a threat of
drowning, few parents are aware of the other dangers. Swimming pools
are dirty. Unless a pool is frequently cleaned by professionals, it can
contain trace amounts of feces from un-showered children and babies in Little
Swimmers diapers: this can lead to E. coli illness, which is sometimes lethal.

If that doesn't worry you as a parent, then this fact will: up to 58 percent
of public pools contain substantial enough amounts of E. coli to potentially
cause illness. Well-chlorinated pools will kill bacteria eventually, but the
chlorine isn't immediate. Parents should teach children to shower before
swimming. Additionally, parents should monitor younger children and take them
to the restroom often, to avoid risk of accidents.

4. Trampolines

Trampolines are a lot of fun, especially when you add sprinklers to the mix.
However, one slip or spill can lead to a broken bone or stitches. Covered
springs and mesh fencing makes for a safer experience, but certainly don’t
eliminate the danger. Parents should teach kids trampoline safety rules, and
research the nearest urgent care in case of emergency.

3. Jungle Gyms

Falling from a jungle gym is not the biggest threat to a child's safety.
These slick metal surfaces have been known to cause burns, metal splinters and
even the spread of diseases. Check the temperature of a jungle gym and other
playground equipment before your child starts playing. Inspect the area for
hazards such as rust, which can lead to metal splinters and scrapes.
Additionally, teach your kids to wash their hands before and after play.

2. Night Games

Kids love playing hide-and-seek in the dark, but it's not necessarily the
safest time to play outside. If you allow your kids to play 'night games'
with the neighbors, make sure the area is well-lit, and that your kids
are within shouting-distance. That way, even if your kids do need a trip
to the walk-in clinic for stitches or bruises, you'll be able to help them
quickly. Set rules with the kids about not playing in the street, and
checking-in at home often.

1. Sun Exposure

Summer is a great time to get the kids outside playing, but it also
introduces sun exposure risks. From sun stroke to skin cancer, there is a lot
to be aware of while playing outside. Remember to keep your kids slathered in
sunscreen, and monitor them for signs of fatigue, dehydration, sun burn,
and dizziness. To be safe, you can buy each child an exciting and fun thermos
so that they will each want to carry water with them while they play in the
sun.

By arming yourself with information about the dangers that abound each
summer, you can prepare your kids. While this list is in no way comprehensive,
it is a good place to start researching summer safety guidelines!

Find Urgent Care Near Me

Sorry, we were unable to determine your location.Click here to find the walk-in clinics near you.

What is Urgent Care Locations?

Urgent care is one of the fastest growing fields in
healthcare today with an estimated 10,000 clinics in
the United States. This includes traditional urgent care
centers, pediatric urgent care centers, retail clinics,
occupational medicine providers and primary care offices
that offer extended and see walk-in patients. The problem
is most of these clinics are owned and operated by
individuals, small physician groups and other independent
operators making them difficult to find and obtain trusted
information about. Our job is to make that easier on the
patients that need them. Through our free online service,
healthcare consumers are able to quickly search, sort and
find urgent care facilities from our directory of
11,095 of
them. But we don't stop there. We’ve painstakingly
verified nearly all of the information presented on the
site, are constantly adding new information and detail
on each location and have given you - the consumer - the
ability to rate and review each location based on your
experience.